Automatic printing-telegraph.



PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

, 0. L. BUGKINGHAM. AUTOMATIC PRINTING TELEGRAPH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. l, 1900.

XO MODEL.

WITNESSES Tn: wnmsyzrsns cn. wom-mmc., wAsHmcmm, n. c

PATENTED AUG. 25

o. L. BUGKINGHAM. AUTOMATIC PRINTING TBLEGRAPH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1,1900.

'7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

INVENTOR: aZd/W WITNESSES: 24% f Tur; mams PETERS co, Pum'uwo., WASHINGTONv D C- No. 737,203. P zAj-'TENITED AUG. 25, 1903. I

C. L. BUCKIIIGHA- AUTOMATIC PRINTING 'T EIIIIGIM-IBH.

APPLIGATION FILED FE,1^ 1`:QQQ-,

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'KQ MODEL.

N Ik l m: Norms persas cn, Pnoroumo.. wAsmncTnN, o. c.

PATENTED AUG. 25,

C. L. BUGKINGHAM. AUTOMATIC PRINTING TELEGRAPH APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1. 1900.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

.QQ NQ MQ www -qlll l0 IODEL.

INVENTOR WITNESSES:

n4: ohms PETERS w. PMoToMTHmwAsHmnmN, n..

PATENTED AUG.` 25, 1903.

G. L. BUCKINGI-IAM. AUTOMATIC PRINTING TELEGRAPH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1, 1900.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

.Q er@ m N N E L. m E m .QQ w m m INVENTOB @A MAL/ PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

. C. L. BUCKINGHAM. AUTOMATIC PRINTING TELEGRAPH. APP-MGATION FIL'BD PEB. 1, 1900. No MODEL. 7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

INVENTOR:

WITNESSES No. 573x203".

lUNITED STATES Fatented ugust 25, 19.;

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. BUCKINGHAM, OF NEV Y'ORK, N. Y.`

AUTOMATIC PRINTING-TELES RAPH.-

VBPECIFlCA'LION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,203, dated August 25, 1903. Application filed February 1,1900. Serial No. 3,606.l (No model.)

To all whom, it' may concern.-

Be it known'that I, CHARLES L. BUcKINc HAM,a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have made a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Printing-Telegraphs, of whichthe following; is a specification.

In United States Letters Patent No; 544,348, of August i3, 1895, applied for by Emil Germann and myself, is shown a system upon which the present invention is 'an improve-` ment, in that it contemplates the printing.; of figures in addition to the letters of the alphabet, punctuation-marks, dtc.

It would obviously be possible to increase the number of characters to 'be printed if eight reversals of current for each were employed. In fact, if four Morse pulses o'r eight reversals were transmitted for each character sixty-four characters might be placed on the type-wheel, thus affording opportunity for many more than the necessary number of letters, punctuation-marks, and figures; but by this plan the speed of transmission would be so far reduced that only three characters could be transmitted, where four are sent if only six reversals for each are employed.

My present invention has for its object a plan of transmission whereby letters and punctuation-marks may be sent bynsix reversals, precisely as by the system set forth in said former patent, and by which iigures may be transmitted in substantially the same r time that is required for sending letter characters. To this end an additional ring of type characters is added to the type-wheel shown in said patent, but for the figure characters of the added ring eight reversals for each must be employed.

In adapting my system to print ligures as well as the letters of the alphabet and punctuation-marks, as will hereinafter' be shown, thc perforating-machine for preparing messages remains practically unchanged in its essential features, while to the printer only the merest additions have become necessary.

Referring to the drawings, Figure lis a diagram of circuits and some of the essential parts of my printing-receiver. Fig. 2 isa diagram of circuits and parts of the printer to which the present invention more particularly relates. Fig. 3 represents the typewheel of my improved printer with arms, links, and levers' by which the type-wheel is given rotation and lengthwise movement for setting it in its several positions for printing.

Fig. 4 shows a development of the peripheral surface ofthe type-wheel and particularly the added ring of figures and the ring of type, including` the blank, whose normal position is above the'platen of the printer. Fig. 5 shows the type-wheel and thearms,

links, and levers of the printer to which the present improvement is added. Fig. 6 is a detail showing means whereby the type-wheel may be moved lengthwise and rotated at the same time. Fig. 7 shows the alphabet and punctuation-marks in perforated characters, together with dots, dashes, and spaces, as said characters would appear when reproduced by the Wheatstone recorder. Fig. S represents the figures of my code both as they appear in the perforated transmitting-tape and as they are reproduced in dots, dashes, and spaces by the Vheatstone recorder. Figs. 9 and l0 are diagrams showing modifications of apparatus and circuits represented in Fig. l.

In Figs. l, 2, 9, and 10 are represented the sunflower arrangement of Patent No. 544,348, in which are employed a differentially-wound escapement-magnet p, an escapement-wheel a., and pallets b, under the action of which the sunowershaft is permitted to rotate step by step at each main-line reversal, while upon the same shaft is a wheel c, having one-third as many teeth as a, which serves both to put the sunflower at unison at the end of-each word, as set forth in Patent No. 544,343, and to move contact-arms d ef g h In the normal operation of the sunliower apparatus wheel c moves the space of one tooth for each letter transmitted, and this movement is accomplished by six main-line reversals of current or by three positive and three negative pulses. The long negative pulse, which terminates each letter of my alphabet, energizes the polarized unison-magnet n in such manner that arm-Z, pivoted at m, is lifted away from the teeth of wheel c; but under the action of a short negative or a positive pulse, long or short, the hook of arm l remains in position to arrest the teeth of c. Some or IOO all of the six reversals of each character may be prolonged, and whether it is one character or another that is transmitted is determined by the 1 reversal or reversals that are prolonged. In the arrangement shown in Fig. l after arm Z has been raised at the end of a character upon the first reversal of the following character wheel c next actuates arm e to close contact with wire 43, while the following reversals cause arm f to close contact with 44, g with 45, h with 46, and fi with 47, and finally the sixth reversal causes arm CZ to close contact between wire 17 and wire 18 and to thereby form circuits, which are completed by armature-tongue 19, Contact 2l, through relays s and t, included, respectively, in branches 24 and 23. lf the sixth pulse were a prolonged negative current, relays S and t would respond to effect printing, as is the case in transmitting letter and punctuation characters; but in the transmission of the figure characters 2 to 9 the sixth pulse is so short in duration that although circuits are closed through s and t the latter will not respond. Vhen, however, the seventh or .long positive or dash pulse which follows is passed to line, the synchronizing-arm Z still holds Wheels c against rotation, and arm d preserves contact between Wires 17 and 18; but under the action of the positive pulse the tongue 19 of main -line relay r is thrown against stop 20, and a circuit is completed through wire 22, in which is inserted the setting-coil of relay 6, wire 48, one of the two coils of relay 7, and resistance 9. And, again, at the end of the ligure characters the eighth or the prolonged negative pulse, following the positive, throws the tongue of relay r to the right, once more establishing circuits includingl wire 1S, contact 21, and the two wires 24 and 23, one including the sixth-pulse relay s for closing circuits to magnets fr w t' r1.,Whieh actuate the escapement dog, feed -ribbon, and press apparatus of the printer, while the other includes relay t, termed the resettingrelay, for closing the circuits 40 42, by which the tongues of relays 1 2 3 4 5 G 7 are thrown to their back positions at the end of each character transmitted.

As shown in Fig. 1, the setting-coils of relays 1 2 3 4 5 are respectively joined with wires 47 46 45 44 43, and these circuits are successively closed by sunflower-arms c f g 7L /L' at each step of rotation. If only short reversals or pulses are sent over the main line, the movements of tongue 52 of relay q are so rapid that the neutral differential relay o will not be sufficiently energized to move its armature, although wheel a at the time is allowed to rotate under the action of the differential polarized magnet p and escapementanchor b; but upon the prolongation of a main-line pulse a current will iiow through either 53 or 54 a sufficient length of time to enable 0 to attract its armature and close a circuit including wires 50 49 and bracket j, with which arms e f g h i are electrically connected; but bracket 7e, upon which d is 1nounted,is insulated from j. Thus as 0 attracts its tongue a local circuit is closed from La to bb through that one of the selectin g-relays whose circuit is at the moment closed by arm e, f, g, h, or z', and thereby the tongue of such relay is moved to the right, breaking one contact and closing another in the operation of setting the type-wheel. The setting-magnets controlled by relays 1 to 5 are 11 12 13 14 15. From the foregoing it is obvious that during the iirst five reversals of current some one or more or all of said magnets may be brought into action for each character transmitted and that the operation of printing may be effected during the sixth, at which time a tooth of wheel c causes arm d to join Wires 17 and 18. A sixth arm might be added to the series c f g h yz'. for closing a circuit through the setting-coil of selecting-relay 6, but if this were done it would be necessary to give the sunflower eight steps of rotation for each character transmitted and to employ for each eight current reversals instead of six. It is therefore desirable to employ the relay o and to actuate relay 6 through contact d While the sunower is locked by arm l, for by this plan all letters of the code may be transmitted by six reversals, although eight are required for the numerals in the iifth ring of the type-wheel.

In the arrangement of Fig. l a wire 33 leads from the pole acl, of the local battery to the tongues 34 35 3G 37 38 39 of the selecting-relays 1 2 3 4 5 (i, thence through the setting or resetting sides of the adj listing-magnets,` according to the positions of said tongues, and thence to the negative pole bb. At the end of each character transmitted relay t is brought into action, thereby closing tongue 4l to establish a circuit from da by 40, 4l, and 42 through the resetting-coils of selecting-relays 1 to 6, whereby such of the tongues of said relays as may have been moved to front position in the transmission of a character are reset to their back positions. A seventh relay, in all respects like the six selecting-relays, is employed for preventing the operation of the press-hammer during the transmission of a space character-that is to say, where the paper sheet upon which the message is printed is to be fed to make spaces between words. During such a transmission no current reaches the setting coils of the selecting-relays; but in the transmission of any one of the printed characters some one or more of said settingcoils will be energized. It follows, therefore, that if the circuits of said setting-coils were united into one circuit, as here shown, a relay, as 7, might be operated to close the press-circuit when a character to be printed was transmitted. The multiple setting-coils of the selecting-relays 1 to G are united into one conductor 4S, within which is included the setting-coil of relay 7, while its resettingcoil is placed in series with those of the se- IIO mark, and line-mark.

lecting-relays in conductor 42. Thus if a character to be printed were transmitted the current sent to the setting-coils oi' whatever selecting-relays might be called into operation would also pass through the setting-coil of 7, thereby causing the tongue of said relay to close a circuit to press-magnet il, by wires 10 28 25 and armature-tongue 26, while at the end of the transmission said tongue would be returned to its vback position, thereby breaking the press-magnet circuit. The press-circuit is normally open at two points, and the same is always closed by relay s, whether for a space or character transmission, but the press-circuit is only closed at relay 7 upon the transmission of a character which is to be printed. This feature of invention I do not wish to claim herein, as it is the subject-matter of an application, Serial No. 3,611, tiled February 1, 1900, by C. L. Buckingham and E. Germann. A further feature of the invention hereinbefore described, consisting of the setting and resetting coils of the selecting-relays, in combination with rheostats S and 9, I do not wish to herein claim, as the same forms part of the said Buckingham and Germann application.

In former arrangements it had been thought necessary to employ a rheostat in series with each setting-coil, but by the arrangement here shown the two rheostats obviously fulfil every purpose, particularly as current never passes through more than one setting-coil at a time.

From the organization of Patent No. 544, 3&8 the relay r or its equivalent is entirely omitted, as are selecting-relay 6 and adjustingmagnet 1G. They are included in my present arrangement in order that I may add a fifth ring of type and eight additional figure characters to the type-wheel.

In Fig. 7 I have shown an alphabet consisting of twenty-seven letter characters, with a comma, period, question-mark, dash, space- These characters are all transmitted and printed by six reversals of current, as here indicated, and in this case each character is terminated by a long negative pulse, which, as already explained, serves to throw tongue 19 to its right-hand position upon contact 21., while at the same time arm Z of the synchronizing device is lifted out of the path of the wheel c; but to print from the extra ring of type containing the 'ligure characters 2, 3, 4, 5, G, 7, S, 9 eight reversals instead of six are employed for each, and as will be seen in Figs. 7 and S such figure characters are formed, respectively, by adding a Morse dash at the end of the space character and the letters a, t, d, e, s, n, m-that is to say, my figure 2 is formed by adding a Morse dash at the end of the space character of my alphabet, the 3 by adding a dash to the letter a,7 the e by adding a dash to the letter t, the 5 by adding a dash to the letter d the 6 by adding a dash to rof my alphabet.

the letter e, the 7 by adding' a dash to 3, the 8 by adding a dash to .n, and the 9 by adding a dash to 1n. The characters O and 1 arev the O and I Thus it is seen that in receiving those figure characters which are transmitted by eight reversals the sixth pulse is a short negative current, which is not sufficiently prolonged to lift the synchronizingarm Z or to permit the operation of relays s 'and t and that during the seventh long positive pulse forming the dash which follows, as well'as during the sixth, the sunflower is held in a stationary position, and that during the period of such dash the relay-tongue 19 is held against its stop 20, thereby allowing a current to be sent into relay (5, causing its armaturetongue 34 to move to front contact to actuate the sixth setting-magnet. Following the terminal dash, however, of a figure character the tongue 19 is thrown upon contact 21, thus closing circuits through the sixth-pulse relay s and resetting-relay t, whereby the dog,paper feed, ink-ribbon,I and press-magnets m, w, fu, u are actuated and the tongues of the selecting-relays 1 to 7 are reset to their initial posi- -tions as if an ordinary letter character were being printed.

In the present instance the apparatus of Fig. 3 for rotating the type-wheel is precisely like that shown in Patent No. 541,348, in which are employed the setting-arms 150 151 152, having separate and independent capacities for giving the type-wheel individual or collective movements. Thus assuming the wheel to normally rest at a zero position the setting-arm 150 serves to rotate it one letterspace, the arm 151 two, and the arm 152 four,

Vwhile 1 50 and 151 working in succession would rotate the wheel to the third position, 150 and 152 to the fifth, 151 and 152 to the sixth, and

lpivoted a longitudinal link 95, which is likewise joined with'horizontal arm 94, the latter being carried upon a iixed centralpivot. The opposite end of 94' is joined with bar 92 by link 93. Bar 92 has a pivoted support upon the upper end of adj Listing-lever 151. Again, the opposite end of 92 is joined with bar S6 by link 91, and to the latter is connected a plunger 85, carrying at its outer end a radial pin, which works in a spiral slot S4, formed in the shell of a hollow. rotating hub, within whose opposite end projects a type-wheel shaft 80, carrying a pin which works in a longitudinal slot 82, thus allowing a lengthwise movementof the wheel at the same time that it is rotated by plunger S5. The arm S6 is also pivotedto link S7 and link S7 to barSS,

IOO

moving around a iiXed pivot 89, while the setting-lever 152 is connected to thebar S8 by a link 90. Thus as the bars 150 151 152 are moved during the transmission of a character the plunger 85 is pushed in and out of a central opening in the hub carrying the spiral slots 84, while the hub is held against longi= tudinal movement by a ball-bearing support, a groove for holding the balls of the bearing being shown at 83. Thus rotation is communicated to the type-wheel shaft by plunger 85 and the spiral slot, and thence by the radial pin, which is also free to move longitudinally in slot 82.

At the right of Fig. 3 is shown apparatus by. which the type-wheel is given its lengthwise movement. As here shown the settinglevers 153 154 155 are in their back or normal position against stops 64, 62, and 60, while at their front position they come in contact with stops 65, 63,-and 61. 79 represents the typewheel, and 78 a thimble having conical radial holes', one for each character upon the typewheel. By means of these holes as the typewheel is set to its approximate position for printing a dogging-pin having a conical point is thrust into a corresponding opening to bring the type-wheel into a final and definite position. At the right and attached to the dogging-thimble is a spindle 7 3, which is free to have longitudinal movement for moving the type-wheel endwise and which is in such rotary relation with the type-wheel (see Fig. 6)

that as the type-wheel is moved lengthwise it may be rotated by the apparatus already described from its opposite end. Lengthwise movement is imparted to the type-wheel as follows: Arm 153 is linked to lever 75, which is carried upon a fixed pivot 77, and 75 in turn by arm 153 one ring of type or one letter position to the right, while by the fourth pulse, which would actuate arm 154, the type-wheel would be moved two rings to the left. moving both 153 and 154 the wheel would be moved two rings of type to the left and next one to the right, thus leaving it one ring of type to the left from its initial position. Again, by actuating arm 155 the wheel is.

moved the space of two type-rings to the right, or into such position as to bring the ring of figure characters over the press-pad. Thus it is seen that to bring the figure characters 3, 4, 5, 6, '7, 8, 9 over the presspad the wheel should be first given such position of- .rotation as would be necessary to print the several letters in the space-ring and that in addition to such operation the setting-arm 155 must be actuated during the terminal dash At the opposite end of arm is a By this means upon a prolongation of the fifth I pulse of a character the type-wheel is moved Byv of the character to move the wheel two spaces to the right.

For convenience of illustration I have shown in Fig. 1 two main-line relays et and q; but one such relay may be sufficient. Thus in place of r the relay q could be provided with an additional contact-arm working between front and back stops 2O and 21, or the arm b for controlling the escapement of wheel a, as shown in Fig. 9, may be made to serve the same purpose. In this case the wire 18 is joined with arm b, which during the long positive pulse at the end of a figure character would be joined with stop 20, thereby completing a circuit to the selecting-relay 6, while in its opposite position it would be joined with 21, thus completing the circuits to relays s and t. Various other means may be found as a substitute for the additional main-line relay r. For instance, as in Fig. 10, the synchronizer-arm l may be made to perform this function. In this case the wire 18 is connected to the synchronizing-arm, which under the action of long positive or short negative pulses is held against the lower contact 20, thereby closing a circuit from wire 18 to the selecting-relay 6, while under the action of the long negative pulse at the end of a character the synchronizing-arm raised to contact 21, thereby establishing circuits from contact 2O to the sixth pulse-relay s and the resetting-relay 15.

From what has preceded it will now be seen that the essential features of my plan for adding figures to my telegraph-printer consist, first, in the locking of the sunflower against rotation by a synchronizing-arm during the sixth and seventh pulses of a character, and, second, in an additional main-line polar relay r or its equivalent, whereby the local current, which otherwise would pass through relays s and t during the seventh or dash pulse to cause printing and the resetting of the selecting-relays, is diverted to a sixth selecting-relay for causing the figure-ring of the typewheel to be moved lengthwise to a position over the platen. Not only does the relay r during the seventh or dash pulse serve to prevent the several operations of printing, the feeding of the paper sheet upon which the message is taken, and the resetting of the selecting-relays, but it serves to direct the local current during the eighth or last negative pulse to effect these results preparatory to the transmission of a succeeding character precisely as if it were a sixth terminal pulse used in printing letters rather than the eighth in printing numerals.

It is obvious that with three setting magnets or devices for securing lengthwise movement of the type-wheel eight different movements might be secured and that eight rings of type might be employed. In fact such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 12 of Patent No. 544,348; but, as has already been shown, a fifth ring of type is sucient for printing the ten digit characters. It Would perhaps be a convenience if the type-Wheel were provided Aperforated tape, Fig. S, materially lengthened over the letter characters shown in Fig. 7 In fact, I have succeeded in providing figures with only the addition to my printer of a fifth ring of type upon the type-Wheel, an additional setting magnet or magnets 16 for moving the type-Wheel, an additional selectingrelay for controlling said selecting-magnet, and an additional main-line relay r or its equivalent. Nor does the preparation of the figure characters, as shown in Fig. 8, require any substantial change in my perfor-ating system. The 9, the longest figure character as it appears in the perforated tape, covers a space of nine central holes, which is no longer than the letter &, and thus it is that the apparatus of the perforator, which has a capacity to feed the transmitting-strip a space covering nine central holes or any less distance, is adapted to control the strip in perforating the figure characters. It is also to be noted that the range of the punch-head of the perforator, Which is sufficient for the letter ab, has a sufficient range for the figure charactersin other words, the eight pairs of punches that are necessary for preparing the letter 85, Fig 7, are sufficient for the figure 9, Fig. S. The only change required upon the perforator is the addition of such keys as are peculiar to the figures 2 to 9, as such characters are shown in Fig. 8.

IVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A telegraph alphabet or code, in which a part of the characters are formed, each by a definite number of transmitted pulses, While cach of the others is formed by a different definite number, the character of a letter, sign or figure being determined by prolonging, strengthening, or otherwise modifying one or more of said pulses.

2. In a printing-telegraph system, an alphabct or code in which the letters or other signs are each formed by a definite number of transmitted pulses, While the numerals, or parts of them, are each formed of a different definite number, the character of said letters, marks or numerals being determined by prolonging some one or more of said pulses.

3. In a printing-telegraph system, an alphabet or code in which its letters or other signs are formed each by a definite number of alternately positive and negative pulses, While the numerals, or a part of them, are each formed of a different definite number, the character of the letters, signs, or numerals being determined by prolonging some one or more of said pulses.V

l. In an automatic printing-telegraph system, a perforated strip of paper for transmitting messages in Which some of the letters or other characters are each'represented by a definite equal number of perforations, While other characters, as numerals, are each representedbyadilferentdefinite number,whereby part of the characters of the code are transmitted by a succession of pulses of one definite number, While others are transmitted by a different definite number.

5. In an automatic printing-telegraph system, an alphabet or code in Which the letters or other signs are each transmitted by six reversals of currentvhile the numerals,or some of them, are each transmitted by eight such reversals.

6. In an automatic printing-telegraph system, an alphabet or code which is represented in a perforated tape by six perforations for each of the letters or other signs and by eight for each of the other characters, as the numerals, or some of them. Y

7. In a printing-telegraph system, the combination of atype-Wheel provided With letters, numerals and other signs, a suniiower or equivalent arrangement Which is adapted to move six steps for each letter or other char acter, means for transmitting one electrical pulse or reversal for each step of movement, a locking device for holding said sunfiower against rotation, and means for transmitting eight electrical pulses or reversals for each of the numerals, or some of them, means for releasing said locking device, a main-line `relay r or its equivalent, and means controlled thereby for setting the type-Wheel into position to print numerals during the seventh pulse, and to effect printing and other operations of the apparatus during the eighth pulse,

at the end of each character.

8. In a printing-telegraph system, the combination of atype-Wheel, a suniiower arrangement, a locking device for holding said suniiowcr against rotation except under the action of a prolonged pulse of one polarity at the end of each character, a relay r or its equivalent, which, during a pulse preceding the last of a character, controls apparatus for setting the type-Wheel into position to print numerals, and which, during the last pulse of said character, serves to brin ginto action the printing apparatus and other operations of the printer following each impression.

9. In a printing-telegraph system, the coinbination of a sunioWer-Wheel c, locking device Z, relay r or its equivalent, a type-Wheel, an adjusting device 16, which is brought into action to set the type-Wheel by said relay by the pulse of' a character preceding the last, together with printing devices, paper-feeding and other apparatus which are brought into action by said relay during the last pulse of a character.

IO. In a printing-telegraph, a type-Wheel carrying five rings of type, two adjusting devices for setting said Wheel to any one of four positions, a third adjusting device for setting IOO IIO

the Wheel into its fifth lengthwise position, a mechanism and feeding devices during the step-by-step sunower arrangement, a ioeklast puise of the series. ing device for holding the same against rota- CHARI ES I BUGKINGHAM tion, a relay o or its equivalent for bringing J j' 5 said third adjusting device into action by the Vitnesses:

maine-line pulse next preceding the last of JOHN C. SANDERS, each character, and for actuating the press ROBT. F. DOYLE. 

